To Organizations To the People of Mexico To National and International Civil Society

The below-signed organizations are making a call for urgent mobilization, because of the intensification of the war climate - the confrontations, harassment and assassinations in indigenous communities, which have taken place during the month of August in: San Antonio Escobar, Quexil, Palestina, La Culebra, Arroyo Granizo, Chamizal Ach'lum, Monte Li'bano, Taniperlas Ejido, Censo, Santa Elena, Monte Li'bano Ejido, Lacando'n and Santo Domingo, Reforma K'an Akil, Yocnabil, Pamala', Nuevo Guadalupe, 6 de Agosto Nuevo Centro de Poblacio'n, El Salvador Poblado. Communities surrounding and included within the Autonomous Municipalities of Ricardo Flores Mago'n, 17 de Noviembre, Francisco Go'mez, San Pedro Polho', Francisco Villa, Primero de Enero, Olga Isabel, Che Guevara, Vicente Guerrero, Miguel Hidalgo, Lucio Caba~as and San Manuel.

It is in these areas where the paramilitaries have reactivated their actions, in full and open provocation against the Autonomous Municipalities, laying siege to communities, blocking accesses, attacking and assassinating EZLN members, authorities and support bases, under the repeated cover of the Mexican Army, which is openly occupying these indigenous territories. Except for Polho', all of the rest are in the coveted Selva Lacandona. These incidents have caused the forced displacement of entire families, under conditions of food shortage, precarious sanitary conditions and their being uprooted from their communities.

By agreement of the signatory organizations, we respectfully and fraternally are calling on you to:

1. Initiate a campaign of denuncias regarding these events.

2. Organize, on an urgent basis, a caravan to Chiapas for the observation and accompaniment of the affected communities.

3. To collect foods and medicine for the affected communities.

We are providing you with ENLACE CIVIL's information as a contact in order to coordinate with us regarding the requested Caravan: enlacecivil@laneta.apc.org, telephone: (011) 52 (967) 678-2104

Sincerely, Education for Peace Collective (CEPAZ), K'inal Antzetik, Community Defenders Network, Enlace Civil, Center for Political Analysis and Social and Economic Research (CAPISE), Council of Organizations of Indigenous Traditional Doctors and Midwives of Chiapas (COMPITCH), Fray Bartolome' de las Casas Human Rights Center, Miguel Agusti'n Pro Jua'rez Human Rights Center, Center for Economic and Political Research for Community Action (CIEPAC), CEDIAC, Fray Pedro Lorenzo de la Nada Human Rights Center, Global Exchange, Commission for Community Reconciliation (CORECO), Training and Development A.C. (FOCA), Los Altos Regional Coordinator for Civil Society in Resistance, "Luna Creciente" Cultural Space, Community Communication Promoters A.C., "All Rights for All" Network of Human Rights Civil Organizations, Fray Francisco de Victoria Human Rights Center O.P.A.C., "Oscar Arnulfo Romero" Solidarity Committee. Social Development for Indigenous Mexicans (DESMI), Appropriate Technology Exchange (ITA), Chiapas Civic Alliance.